The Labour Party has always believed in the importance of having a social security department, Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon said on Friday, on the occasion of the department’s 66th anniversary.
He added that this department has always made it its mission to improve social justice and served as a “support system for those in need”.
Addressing a press conference the minister said that although during its years in government the Nationalist Party might have said that it cares about the sector, it did not “show enthusiasm” in its willingness to help.
He added that in 2015, it was a PL government which increased the minimum pension, and it was also the same government which has increased pensions.
“In the 22 years of its administration, the PN had not done anything with pensions”, he said.
He added that this week the social security department has won an international prize for its way of dealing with the demands during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He thanked all those working in his sector, whilst adding that this result shows how much the social security department is resilient.
Referring to the official statistics, released by the NSO on Thursday, Falzon said that there were several points which could be drawn, with the main one being the total of funds the government has invested in the social security department in these last nine years.
He said that the number of people who solely depend on social benefits has been halved, the minister said.
He added that this was all thanks to governmental efforts being done to incentivise people to work.